Early Dismissal Monday's

Wonder what has been going on Monday's after your child has been dismissed early?  Teachers have been completing a series of studies to better impact your child's education.  We are creating and collecting data that helps to inform our instruction based on the needs of our students.  During these meetings Ms. Smith and myself discuss objectives our students are having difficulties with.  We first explore the possible reasons for the difficulties.  We then create a plan to better meet your child's need.  After implementation we collect data and analyze the results.  Finally, we make modifications if needed or move on to a different concept.  Our class' main focuses have been on subtraction with regrouping and is now moving towards mastery of multiplication facts.

Field Trip Reminder

Most all of our class will be traveling to the theatre in Royal Oak on Thursday morning.  This trip was earned as a reward for showing S.T.A.R. behavior in school and especially in the halls and common spaces.  We will leave first thing in the morning and return just before lunch and eat at our normal times.

This Week...3-31-14

In math we have kicked off our 2nd unit on multiplication and division.  This week we have been looking at ways to multiply large numbers such as 2x300 by first taking off the zeros,  then multiplying 2x3 and getting a product of 6.  We then add the 2 zeros back on to the end of our answer and get 600.   Please continue to work on mastery of basic multiplication facts (0-11) nightly with your child.  It will be the key to their successes during this unit.

In social studies we are starting to talk about how the French entered the area of Michigan and began settling and trading with the Native Americans.  We are continuing to discuss the ways of Native American life and the roles everyone in the tribe played.  Ask your child to tell you what their job might have been if they grew up in a Three Fires Tribe.

In science we are preparing our unit on water.  We have started discussions on what we already know and have talked about the different forms in which we see water.  (liquid, solid, gas) I am very excited  to start the fun experiments we have planned.  Please ask them what they discussed about water throughout the week.

No School 4/4-4/13

Spring break starts this Friday.  We will be off from Friday April 4 through Sunday April 13th.  School resumes on Monday April 14th.

Multiplication Facts Test (4's)

Please use the links on the right hand side of the blog to link your child to multiplication games that will help prepare them for this week's test.  This week's factors focus on multiples of 4.  The students will get one less day this week to study do to no school on Friday.  Please click on the following link to help your child study: SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK

Multiplication Facts Test (5's)

Please use the links on the right hand side of the blog to link your child to multiplication games that will help prepare them for this week's test.  This week's factors focus on multiples of 5.

Run Into Reading

Tomorrow's theme is to wear a jogging suit to get students excited about reading.  Remind your child to wear their jogging suit to school.

This Week...3-17-14

In math will continue to work on fractions.  The test will be pushed back to the beginning of next week to better prepare students.  Please review the following concepts or vocabulary with your child at home.  Talking about their meaning at home really helps them to make connections while we work on them in school.  The key concepts and vocabulary for our fraction unit include the following:  comparing numbers, denominator, equal distance (fraction if a line ex. measuring) equal parts, equivalent fractions, fraction, number line, numerator, ordering numbers, whole and whole numbers.

Questions you could ask your child:

How many equal pieces is that divided up into? What is the fraction of one piece.  (1/8 if there were 8 equal pieces.)
What fraction of the crayons in the box are dull?  (3/16 if 3 of the 16 crayons need to be sharpened.)
Whats greater, 1/2 of the pie or 3/10 of the pie?
Can you explain how a measuring tape is broken up into fractions or equal pieces?  (Talk about how sometimes things are in-between units of measure such as inches and that's were fractions come in.)

Thanks for supporting your child with these hard concepts.    

Multiplication Facts Test (10's)

Please use the links on the right hand side of the blog to link your child to multiplication games that will help prepare them for this week's test.  This week's factors focus on multiples of 10.

This Week...3-9-14

• In math we are starting to wrap up our unit on fractions.  We will be testing on this concept next week.  We had our first multiplication test on Friday.  It focused on factors 0, 1 and 2.  This week's focus will be on the factors of 10.  The quiz will be on Friday.  Also, please look for our quiz on subtracting with regrouping.  Some students are still struggling with this concept.   We have been working on this for our data teams.  Please work with your child on this at home.
• In Social Studies we are comparing how all three of the three fires tribes from the Michigan area worked together for the greater good of the tribes.  This was done in order for survival during the harsh winters and to help get daily tasks accomplished by dividing them up.  We are also studying how Native American legends were stories that were passed along through the years.  We will study what the story elements are and identify what the moral of the legend is.  
• March is reading month celebrations continue this week.   This weeks celebrations will include mismatch day on Wednesday and dress up day on Friday.  We will also be welcoming guest readers in on room on Friday morning.  Feel free to email me if you would like to read to the students and become a guest reader in our class.